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Health Services

Labor and Delivery Unit

Mission

To provide safe, culturally sensitive, quality nursing care with a family centered focus through teamwork, compassion, education and support with the ultimate goal of providing the building blocks for a lifelong bond.

Vision

Pushing for excellence by providing high quality, safe, diversified nursing care resulting in healthy moms, healthy babies, happy families, and memorable experiences.

About

The Labor and Delivery Unit provides normal and high-risk newborn patient care, consisting of private rooms, Operating Rooms, and a Recovery Section.

There are eleven private birthing suites, two operating rooms, a six-bed triage/monitoring area, and two recovery beds for post-surgical cases. On average, we deliver 180-200 babies a month. We have a friendly staff of physicians and nurses who are committed to bringing you and your family current, safe and state-of-the-art medical care.

At the Tripler Army Medical Center Labor and Delivery, a majority of the registered nurses have attained their national certification (RNC-OB) from the National Certification Corporation. Our nurses have also received certifications in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Intermediate Fetal Monitoring, and from the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP). In addition, many of our staff are members of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) and Fetal Monitoring Certified through the AWHONN.

Planning Your Visit

After 20 weeks gestation, you may report to L&D for evaluation, treatment or monitoring. For safety and security there must be an adult other than the patient to care for any children present. Your physician will discuss and review with you a plan of care at the time of admission so you and your family understand why you are being admitted.

Your stay on L&D will vary in length based on you and your baby’s specific health care needs. Mothers in labor will remain on L&D for delivery of your newborn and for an immediate postpartum period. Later, you and your baby will be transferred to the Mother-Baby Unit.

While on L&D, a nurse will be assigned and dedicated to you and your needs throughout your entire delivery as your primary nurse. Your nurse will assist with providing your medical care, support you in your labor and delivery, answer your questions and work providing you comfort, encouragement and act as your advocate.

We do not have restricted visiting hours, however providing a supportive, low stress environment, with decreased stimulation, facilitates the birthing process.

We highly encourage you to have supporters with you during your labor and delivery including of course the father of the baby. Children are allowed to be a supporters and should attend the Sibling Class if there are plans for them to be present during the birth. Also, it is mandatory that an additional adult be present to care for other children present.

Family and friends who are ill should discuss their presence with the nurse to determine if it is safe for them to be present on the unit.

What to Bring

We provide most everything you will need during your stay. Some suggested comfort items you may want to bring include:
  • Smart phone, Tablet, Laptop
  • Camera
  • Favorite pillow
  • Lollipops/hard candy
  • Lip balm
  • Personal hygiene items and other personal comfort items you desire to bring
We encourage family and friends who will be providing support to dress for comfort and to pack a lunch with snacks.

Listed below are the additional items you may desire to bring after you have delivered and are transferred to the Mother-Baby Unit:
  • Personal hygiene items
  • Nightgowns/pajamas
  • Bathrobe
  • Extra panties
  • Supportive bras (if desired) or Nursing bras (Nursing Pads)
Listed below are the additional items you may desire to bring after you have delivered and are transferred to the Mother-Baby Unit:
  • Infant car seat
  • Clothes/shoes for mom (most likely, you will still have a tummy, so bring your pregnancy clothes)
  • Outfit for baby (hat and blankets dependent upon the weather)
 If you have any concerns during your stay or are not fully satisfied with your experience, please contact the Clinical Nurse Officer in Charge at (808) 433-5179.

Did you know?

Every time we deliver a baby, the first portion of the song, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" is played throughout the hospital announcing the arrival of a new life.

The Tripler Army Medical Center Labor and Delivery policies and procedures are in compliance with the following regulatory guidance:
  • American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
  • Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
  • Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)
  • American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
  • American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACMNM)

FAQs:

Q: Should I have a birth plan?
A: This is a sample of a birth plan (click here) which you can use to guide you in creating your own individual birth plan. Problems in your medical condition prior to labor or problems that occur during labor may result in changes in your birth plan for your safety and that of your baby. The more prepared and knowledgeable you are regarding labor, delivery, and postpartum, the better chance you will have in achieving your birthing goals. A plan is a guideline; you can change your mind about any of the provisions. You and your delivery team will work together to make this the best possible event for you!

Q: When should I come to labor and delivery?
A: If you are under 20 weeks gestational age and are having any bleeding, cramping, or concerns you think need to be assessed by a health care professional, you need to either be seen in the OB/GYN Clinic or the Emergency Department.

If you are over 20 weeks gestation, you should come in to the Birthing Center for assessment if you have any vaginal bleeding or vaginal gush of fluid (note the time and color and put on a peripad), decrease in fetal movements (you want the baby to move at least four times in an hour), or if you are having four or more contractions in one hour.

If you have a medical emergency, call 911.

Q: I am scheduled for an induction, what should I do?
A: If you are scheduled for an induction, plan to call Labor & Delivery around 5:00 a.m. the morning of your induction. This phone call is to ensure the plan is still to induce you and that there is room for you. You will want to arrive to the Labor & Delivery at 5:30 a.m. the morning of your induction. Also, you will want to take a shower/bath before coming and will not want to eat anything "heavy" after midnight ("heavy" meaning large portions of any kind of food, but could include large portions of meat, and meals such as casseroles, multiple course meals and spicy dishes).

Q: I am scheduled for a cesarean section (C-section), what should I do?
A: If you are scheduled for a C-section, DO NOT eat or drink anything after midnight. Plan to call the Birthing Center around 5 a.m. the morning of your operation. This phone call is to ensure the plan for you to have a C-section has not changed, and to make sure we have an operating room open. You will need to take a shower/bath as well as use the special antiseptic wipes provided before coming, and you will want to arrive at the Birthing Center at 5:30 a.m. on the morning of your C-section.

Q: How many visitors can I have in my labor and delivery?
A: Each patient is encouraged to have supporters to stay with throughout the labor, delivery and immediate postpartum period while on L&D. Other family and friends are asked to wait in the family waiting room. All children remaining in the family waiting room must have an adult in attendance at all times.

Q: What are the visiting hours on labor and delivery?
A: We do not have set visiting hours.

Q: Can my children be present for the delivery?
A: Children are welcome to be present for the birth of their sibling but must always have an adult in attendance. It is suggested that they attend the Sibling Class, arrive in comfortable clothes and pack a bag with books, small toys, appropriate electronic devices and snacks. Staff reserve the right to request children be accompanied to the waiting area during emergencies or special circumstances.

Q: What should I plan ahead of my pending labor and delivery time?
A: Remember to make child care arrangements for when your labor begins (back-up plans can be helpful). Also, remember to plan transportation available for trips to and from the hospital.

Q: What are my options for pain management?
A: You will be provided a wide range of options for pain management. These include breathing techniques and positions changes, IV medication, and also epidural analgesia. What route you take for pain management will depend on your preparation for the labor, the baby, how far along you are in your labor, the mother's health, and the decision you and your health care team agree on.

Q: Do I have to have and intravenous infusion (IV)?
A: An IV is generally used during the labor process as a way to give you hydration, medications, and provides a route to access your venous system in an emergency.

Q: Can I walk around while I am in labor?
A: Many patients choose to walk and sit in a rocking chair while they are in labor. As long as your baby is doing well and you haven't received any medications that could interfere with walking, your physician may order for you to walk around if you desire. Many times, walking around can be very comfortable to women during the early part of labor.

Q: What is Pitocin?
A: Pitocin is a medication which is a synthetic form of the hormone your body already produces to stimulate uterine contractions. Pitocin is sometimes ordered by your physician to induce or augment a labor. Your nurse and physician would discuss administration of Pitocin before starting it on you.

Q: Do you have a nursery?
A: We are fortunate here to have the mothers and babies stay and room together. For infants who require more medical care than what can be provided in a room, Tripler Army Medical Center has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Forms:

anesthesia_patient_education

Tripler's OB/GYN services include:

Reproductive, Endocrinology, Infertility (REI) Clinic 
Behavioral-Medicine-Consultation-Services
Neonatal-Intensive-Care-Unit-NICU
Midwife Services
Mother-Baby-Unit
Breastfeeding-Support
Urogynecology-Female-Pelvic-Medicine
Minimally-Invasive-Gynecologic-Surgery-MIGS
Centering-Pregnancy
Moody-Mom-or-Anxious-about-Baby


 

Contact Us

Tripler Central Appointment Line

(888) 683-2778 (888-MTF-APPT)

Nurse Advice Line

1-800-TRICARE, option #1

Labor and Delivery Unit

Main Desk: (808) 433-5337
Triage: (808) 433-9900

Hours of Operations

The Labor and Delivery Unit is open 24/7.

Location

Address
Labor and Delivery Unit
Tripler Army Medical Center
1 Jarrett White Road
6th Floor, F-Wing, Mountainside
Honolulu, Hawaii 96859

Directions
The Labor and Delivery Unit is located on the Mountainside of the hospital. Patients should take the Mountainside elevators to the 6th floor to 6F